WE ARE BACK...In time for Nebraska Football

…. 1 YEAR LATER ….


Although it has been almost a year since we have blogged, I have kept up with all the other blogs; so we are not totally out of touch. Now it’s the Face Book that everyone wants me to keep up. Reality check here - seems like I can do only one and have decided this is it. (Besides the girls are still trying to teach me how to add pictures!)

The summer started off great. We had been planning a family reunion for over a year as a gift to my parents. Our families have spread out enough that even our own kids had not been all together in several years. The real timing on this was to be together before Brian and Jeremy left for Afghanistan. We all met in Nebraska over Memorial Day weekend. Jeremy’s family drove in from Fort Lewis, WA; Jessica’s family drove in from Little Rock AFB, AR; Jennifer’s family drove in Salt Lake City; and we flew in from Alaska. My youngest brother‘s family came in from Manhattan, KS and my other brother lives near my parents. My nephews and nieces all live near enough that they could drive in for the day or weekend. Jennifer’s husband, Alan, took family photos. He spent an entire morning getting groups, family and just candid shots. I will add the link to my blog (with help from Jennifer) so that you can see the many faces. To see photos click here. Of course it also gives us time to brag about the Grandkids….our almost favorite thing to do these days. In addition to having these 25 people together for several days we planned a day with my Dad’s only sister, her kids + spouses, and all the cousins. The whole group was less than 60 people and a wonderful day in the park. For my brothers and I it was a chance to catch up with all of our cousins.

Brian left for Afghanistan in late June and Jeremy followed July. As always , keep them and all Soldiers in your in your prayers.

We finally got our trip to Scotland in late July! We had planned this couple of times, made it to Scotland and then had to return after only a few days for either military duty or personal reasons. We had decided that it would be fun to take a holiday with Dennis and Margaret and this turned out to be the perfect opportunity. The planning was going good, until we tried to book hotel rooms. We had planned our trip at the same time that the Scots (Clans) were planning “The Gathering” of the Clans. It was the first in 750 years. Blessing and curse – hotels were too expensive and not easily found – so we decided to rent a motor home (caravan to European friends). This made it easier to plan our route, major attractions, distillery visits, etc, but harder to get on group tours. We managed OK….adventures all along the way.

We started out from Anchorage around 10 PM on July 21; had a layover in Seattle, time to sleep at the Airport USO then on to Newark to meet up with Dennis and Margaret. The fun begins….their plane did not arrive on time from Omaha. We were at the gate and were called for boarding. We finally got them on the phone. Their plane had just landed and they were sitting on the tarmac. Fred talked to the gate personnel and they said they were holding the plane for several people on that flight. The people from Omaha were on a bus to be taken directly to our flight; however the bus driver left and they just sat there! All ends good…..they rushed to the plane and we took off for Edinburgh. The overnight flight got us into Edinburgh around 10AM and our first call was to the Caravan Company. The owner met us at the parking lot within the hour. He drove to his home to finish getting all the supplies and teach the guys about the vehicle. (We had paid for bed linens and towels…..bit disappointed that it was very minimum and smelled like smoke.) Next move was for us to find a grocery store, get some maps and our first caravan park! As we followed directions from various locals…..we never got more than six miles from the airport and it seemed that we always ended up in the same cul-de-sac. After a couple of hours we registered at a local campground and went for groceries. As Dennis was driving, he started having trouble shifting. The clutch gave out on the side of the road, less than three miles from our campsite. Many attempts to reach the company failed and we were stuck. The people whose yard we were stuck in were wonderful and very helpful. We were less than a mile from a local pub and had our first taste of local beer with our fish & chips!

The next morning the van owner sent a tow truck and we rode with them to the garage. What was a promised two hour fix turned into seven and lots of frustration. We found out that garden centers have quaint little coffee shops to draw in business. We spent two hours there for breakfast and exploring. Back to the garage and the vehicle still waiting for parts. The garage owner paid for cab fare to and from a local mall! We are still trying to get the issues resolved with the caravan company.

Meanwhile, we called our NATO friends – George and Dorothy – and they just happened to be stuck in harbor at the River Clyde, just past Glasgow. We were able to park for free, had dinner reservations at the local restaurant and great entertainment on their sailboat – Pleasant Winds. The stories of old times, good times, great wine and true friendship made for a perfect late night. The next day they took us sailing on the Firth of Clyde. It was some beautiful and each of us got a chance “hold the controls.” Some of us, like Dennis, did much better than others, like me. He won the speed race and did some great maneuvers that had us all sitting on one side of the boat and Dorothy in the cabin wondering if she would have to start bailing water. Once we were back in port, we headed back to Edinburgh and Morton Hall camp site.

Morton Hall turned out to be a mediocre caravan park, but convenient to the bus stop for our next two days in the city. The Gathering (July 25 & 26) was at a large park at the end of the Royal Mile and near Palace of Holyroodhouse, where the Royals stay when in town. As we were waiting at the bus stop, we met some folks in for the Gathering. Mary turned out to be a bit crazy, but full of fun and information. Her son was a drummer in one of the Pipe bands and would be marching in the Grand Parade. We spent the next two days enjoying Pipe bands, the Highland Games World Championship, Scotch tasting, clan history tents, current military clan traditions and many other activities. Saturday night highlight was the dramatic presentation in the Castle of the history of the Clans and relationships to events of Scotland. It was cold and crowded. We waited for almost two hours for the event to begin after the march of the Clans into the Castle.

The Highland Heavy Events games were a special interest because the reigning champion, Sean Betz, is from Omaha. The games consist of Tossing the Caber, Putting the Stone, Throwing the Hammer, Throwing the Weight for height, Throwing the Weight for Distance and Strongman Events. We saw as many of the grandstand events as possible and cheered the amateurs as they took the field for fun. Mary tried every event…she was great! As we waited for the opening events, the crowd parted and the Scottish version of the Secret Service created a wide path …. Prince Charles, and company, arrived to make opening remarks. He passed less than ten feet from us, talked to a Texan, and of course we have the pics to prove it! Consider us almost famous! Back to the Highland Games – Sean placed second is a close contest. Second and third place were also Americans. After two days, we were tired of the Pipe and Drum bands and they had begun to all sound alike to us.

The clan tents were of special interest. Dennis found the Thomas Clan, part of the more famous McTavish Clan and a part of our ancient family history. We looked for Clans that our friends were part of – Campbell, Kerr and several others. It was all interesting as were the people manning the Clan tents. More people were from out of country than Scotland at times. Of special interest to Fred and I was the Golden Thread – Scottish Military History since Fred had served with several their members in NATO assignments. They have gone from six units to one with their designations identified by the color of the feather in their hat. Talisker (Scotch) had an opportunity for tasting. We discovered that we liked the smoky, peat flavored Scotch that had been aged in oak barrels from the US. The ones that tasted like pepper and others that had aged in wine barrels were left to someone else! One of the demonstrations was how the eight yards of tartan were wrapped around the body to hold food, draped so that weapons could be used, draped again to provide warmth and how it eventually became the kilts that we see in the formal settings of the current day.

Monday morning we were off to see battlefields and castles. (The locals that we met thought we were a bit crazy driving long distances each day to see Scotland. Of course 60 to 80 miles a day for Alaskans and Nebraskans is so close.) Our first adventure was crossing the Firth of Forth in rush hour traffic, stopping at Bannockburn Heritage Center and getting to Stirling. Charlie, our castle guide, was dramatic – Boom! Boom! - accented every battle. Although not a stronghold castle, it was the place for the Stewart Kings and Mary Queen of Scots. We explored the city and found a campsite. We stayed the next morning to tour Holy Rude Church, just outside the Castle, and the Old Towne Jail. The prison housed locals 1847 – 1888 and was a military prison from 1888 – 1935. The tour included era clothed guides that spoke in true characters of the days/times they represented. History of floggings, deprivations and all other prisoner abuse was accentuated with pictures and demonstrations. We all decided that one Scottish Jail was enough for this tour.

Next stop was Crieff - home to The Famous Grouse (Scotland’s oldest distillery) and the history of Highland Drovers. The latter was a short film and small museum. We had seen the Highland cows at Morton Hall and knew that they were making a comeback in Scotland. Fred brought back “ me wee he-land coo” in stuffed animal form. (Actual translation is “my small Highland Cow.”) For the sake of the grandchildren the hi-land coo also moos! We heard it many times on the remainder of the trip. The distillery tour and tasting was the best we were to experience. It also turned out to be one of our favorite Scotches. It is also associated with Chevis Brothers (Chevis Regal Scotch).

We found a campsite close to Pitlochry for the night. We found the dam and fish ladder on the river. It is an Atlantic salmon river and we were told the Salmon are running. Margaret saw a couple jump, but the rest of us did not see any. Guess the salmon have bigger runs in Alaska. It was after six, so no tours, but we decided on a small dinner and theater performance. Dinner turned out to be one menu, expensive, that was set to meet the theater crowd. After we had ordered, one of the locals at the next table declared that he was not about to pay those prices and wanted the regular meal. He and his guest enjoyed local fare while we moped about not knowing there was another menu. We enjoyed the “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” although there were parts where all of us had trouble keeping the eyes open. We walked the ½ mile back to the caravan in the pouring rain.

Day 9 in Scotland. In route to Blair castle and Atholl we stopped near Killecrankie to see the famous forge that was jumped by Scots in the height of battle. The jump was over 13 feet and many did not make it. Problem was, neither did we. There was no road back and the walk was a couple of miles. So we moved on to Blair Castle. We thought it would take a couple of hours. It turned out to be filled with so many artifacts that it took about five hours. The longest drive was going to Glen Livets Distillery. We did not make it for the final tour, but took the self guided and of course the tasting! (Second favorite Scotch, if you are keeping count.) We drove through the Cairngorm Mountains both to get there and back to head to Inverness. It was beautiful. However, once we found our campground, no local pubs for supper! First time ever we stood in line for a table a Pizza Hut. Our other choice was Burger King.

Just a bit about the roads in Scotland. M9 and M*8 are similar to our interstates to include circle routes around the major cities. The A roads are generally two lane roads, some four lane divided, and in great shape. Then there are B roads; all two lane and sometimes narrow. Then there are the one lane B roads that resemble cow paths where vehicles must pull over to let another pass. Laugh as you want, but I did navigate Dennis on one as we tried to find Culloden.


This was the Culloden tour that the guys were really looking forward to. Of course they can read and study the battle scenes twice as fast as Margaret and I, so they relaxed in the coffee shop for an hour. We took the battlefield tour – site has been restored as much as possible to the April 1746 time and presents a 360 degree view of where troops staged for the fight. The guide discussed in great detail the events that lead up to the battle from the perspective of both the government troops/leadership and the Jacobites. The battle left 1200 dead in just an hour. He followed this with the aftermath of murdering clansmen as they tried vainly to escape over the next weeks. It was the only time that it poured rain on our entire tour where we were cold and somewhat drenched. However, it added so much reality to the tour because that was the weather of the battle day. The guide discussed the military tactics of thinking of the leadership. It was somber experience. There were several people from a local clan on the tour who paid tribute at the site of the battle where their clan had stood. When the rain was at its worst, out came the flask with liquid to warm the soul. Can you believe it, my brother turned it down!

After the battlefield, we headed to Cawdor Castle; one of the fortress castles. This is one of Fred’s favorite European castles. It is from the Campbell Clan and privately owned. The resident family is the 7th Earl Colin Cawdor and Lady. The castle was crowded with too many pieces from too many eras in each room, so it was hard to understand some of the history. The best part was the geometric gardens. Flowers in bloom, manicured trees and lots of birds.

The first campground we found, near Lewiston, was full and the owner told us there was a “quaint little place just a wee bit down the road near the equestrian stables.” It had beautiful views overlooking Loch Ness. So off we went. Well folks, let me tell you what we found. Scots lie about a “wee bit.” It was about 5 miles away. It was on the Equestrian estates…loose term for a horse farm and stables. The campsite was not exactly level, our noisy Italian neighbors partied very late and the “facilities” were four converted stables! Flushing toilets were OK and were in one stall; the shower was in the next stall. The guys decided it wasn’t too bad, but we girls decided we could forgo the shower one night. We knew we were near Urquhart Castle (ruins) and asked the owner about going there the next morning. He tells us “it’s just a wee bit stretch of the legs” and points off giving us general directions. He also says, “don’t wait ‘till the morning, just jump the gate and enjoy the setting sun with the locals.” So off we go. We see several other walkers and they tell us they just came from the castle and they were all walking from Loch Ness thru the farmer’s sheep field. We found the view of Loch Ness – after we navigated the pasture with thistles and briars. It was a muddy shore and no castle. Back up to the road and knocked on the door of the farmer. It’s just “a wee bit up the road and around the corner.” The wee bit turned out to be another mile. There were about 20 locals inside the castle walls and we joined them! (Probably caught on tape, too!) This was also a fortress castle and on Loch Ness. We searched Nessie, but no luck in finding her. The waters were calm and it was a beautiful sunset.

July 31 we were set to tour Fort Augustus and the Abbey. After searching for the Abbey, we found out that it was turned into an apartment house. The Fort was a short visit. We decided to move on to Fort Williams. We took a short tour of Invergarry Castle and drove onto Fort William. We found lots to see and do so decided to spend two days. This area has the highest peaks in Scotland; Ben Nevis range. We took a gondola ride up to a neighboring ridge and hiked for a couple of hours in both directions. Awesome views of the range, towns and the Lochs below. We drove to Inverlochy Castle – turned out to be a hotel. So off to another adventure. (The real Inverlochy Castle is some ruins.)
The next day we toured downtown Fort Williams and the local clan museum. Lunch was fish & chips and a local beer. Gee whiz, the Scots charge $1.50 just to sit in a chair. No kidding, charge extra for eating in! Fred had to send in his time card and was having no luck at the local library. Turns out the best access to internet in Scotland is at McDonalds. Wi-Fi at its best. After lunch we found Neptune’s staircase. It is the longest series of locks in Scotland. We watched a large sailboat move up the lock system and then two started back down. It takes about 2 hours for a boat to go through all the locks. We were pressed for time, so could not wait to see the highway and rail bridge turn like clock hands to allow access to Loch Lochy. We wanted to tour Ben Niven Distillery. After the tour and purchase of a small bottle….Back to the campground and a night of tasting Scotch. But first a stop the local café. The food was incredible dishes of haggis, trout and beef. The guys reminisced about early military life, which led to the singing of marching jodies.

Sunday – Day 13 – started out slow. We went to Inverarary, along Loch Flynn. There we tour a bell tower in an old church and learned about the art of bell ringing. These are the second largest in the world and are rung once a month. Next was the castle and Maritime museum; on board an old ship. The next stop was a short ride to the Botanical Gardens that boasted the tallest Redwoods outside of America. We were a bit disappointed – no flowers and limited signs on our walk. We covered about five miles and looked at lots of trees. The most interesting was a tree that had leaves that felt like cat fur on the back. There were also monkey trees that seem to spread endlessly.

We called George and Dot – they were still stuck in port due to weather. So we decided rather than drive to Edinburgh, we would take the ferry crossing at Dunoon and spend the evening with them. There was plenty of wine, scotch, and food for twice the crowd. It was nearing the end of our vacation and celebrated the great time we had. The next day would be our last day in Edinburgh. We toured the castle, made our purchases and packed for the return trip. August 4 we were back in New Jersey; Dennis and Margaret headed to Nebraska and we to Alaska.

As we close this note…..a promise to keep up with news and to add pictures.